The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[TripletDaddy]

Well, it was about as rosy as I expected it to be. Thanks for the summary.

He shared with CougarNation.com some insight on what took place with BYU and how close they were to joining the BigXII. He first talked about when BYU was initially on the radar.

"The Big 12 identified BYU and Air Force as potential expansion targets when Dan Beebe was commissioner. BYU was a serious candidate for expansion until last September, when OU destabilized the Big 12 when it tried to go to the Pac12. At that point, BYU officials were turned off by the instability and backed away, saying it cherished its independence."

[LiveCoug]

Utterly disgustifying, if true.

[Blueintheface]

Cherish this.

:finger3:

[lambdacoug]

He shared with CougarNation.com some insight on what took place with BYU and how close they were to joining the BigXII. He first talked about when BYU was initially on the radar.

"The Big 12 identified BYU and Air Force as potential expansion targets when Dan Beebe was commissioner. BYU was a serious candidate for expansion until last September, when OU destabilized the Big 12 when it tried to go to the Pac12. At that point, BYU officials were turned off by the instability and backed away, saying it cherished its independence."

BYU haz a st00pid.

[Jacob]

Just as I suspected.

LOL. Triplet now believes Chip Brown is a good source. When did this happen?

[Uncle Ted]

Speaking of 3*D's favorite Big 12 expansion news source...

Two sources in the Big 12 said Wednesday the possibility of Notre Dame moving its Olympic sports out of the Big East and into the Big 12 is becoming more and more likely.


Speculation is growing among those sources that an announcement could come from South Bend before the end of the summer.


As part of such a move, Notre Dame, which has a contract with NBC to televise its home football games through the 2015 season, would agree to play up to six football games against Big 12 competition (but most likely three or so to start with), sources tell Orangebloods.com.


Notre Dame would maintain its independence in football ... for now. If the Irish ever felt compelled to join a conference in football, the Big 12 would be ready and waiting for them. The trusted relationship between Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick can not be underestimated if such a move transpires.


Notre Dame's explanation to the Big East would be that the Big East is no longer the conference the Irish joined as a non-football member back in 1995, the sources said. Since the Irish joined, the Big East has seen Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College leave with Syracuse and Pittsburgh planning to join the ACC in two years.


Incoming Big East members include Central Florida, San Diego State, SMU, Houston and Navy.


One of ND's biggest attractions to the Big 12 is the ability to have its own Tier 3 television network, along the lines of Texas' Longhorn Network. Tier 3 inventory is whatever is left after the TV partners with Tier 1 (ABC/ESPN in the Big 12) and Tier 2 (Fox in the Big 12) rights select the football and basketball games they want to air. Tier 3 inventory typically consists of 1 or 2 football games (although DeLoss Dodds has told reporters LHN could air three Texas football games in 2012) and less than a dozen basketball games as well as Olympic sports.


Sources in the Big 12 told Orangebloods.com during the league meetings that Notre Dame as a non-football member is the only expansion target that would receive universal approval from the league.


While sources say Texas and Oklahoma favor the Big 12 as a 10-team league for now, there are some in the Big 12 who think a move by Notre Dame - even just its Olympic sports - into the Big 12, could cause a frenzy of interest from football powers in the Atlantic Coast Conference.


Orangebloods.com reported last month that Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Miami and Georgia Tech all had efforts made on their behalf to gauge the interest of the Big 12 in expanding. The Big 12 indicated at its conference meetings in Kansas City in late May that it was happy at 10.


And while that was the sentiment then, a potential move by Notre Dame to affiliate with the Big 12, could cause more discussion and possibly a rethinking of the league's current position about bringing in new members.


Stay tuned.

Edit: One of Chip's sources: wikipedia.

[Omaha 680]

Awesome. We're going to join the Big East just as ND leaves. It's all coming together as planned.

[The_Douger]

Utterly disgustifying, if true.

But, but, but everyone said we should trust Tom and Cecil and that those guys will make the best decision for BYU!

[USUC]

Swarbrick says nothing to see here.

“I have no idea what prompted that,” Swarbrick said. “It is not based on any discusson, any meeting we have done…

“I can’t imagine what triggered the account, because I did see it. There was no conversation, no ‘something’ that would cause it to be written.”

Swarbrick said that could be considered an official denial that there would be, say, a news conference about conference affiliation in coming months. As always, though, there was some wiggle room left should the Big East disintegrate.

“I’ve said all along that there were three important factors for us,” Swarbrick said. “One was the resolution of postseason football, which we are closer to. One is a resolution of our media relationship, which we are in the homestretch of.

“The third is related to the stability of the Big East, which we get more information on eveyr day. In that sense, pieces of that are starting to fall into place, and that will put us in a time and place where we probbaly take a look at it and decide what we’re doing.”

http://irish.nbcsports.com/2012/06/2...-big-12-talks/

[TripletDaddy]

B12 expansion might be close (also might not be close!)

Good for B12/Bad for ACC

[TripletDaddy]

Good update on what is next for Notre Dame and all of the events of this week

[byu71]

Good update on what is next for Notre Dame and all of the events of this week

ND is going to take care of us, correct?

[TripletDaddy]

ND is going to take care of us, correct?

Yes.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Good update on what is next for Notre Dame and all of the events of this week

From the article:

Of course, if the final change to the BCS simply requires that the selection committee selects the four best teams in the country to play for the national title each year, there would not be nearly as much of a sense of urgency on Notre Dame's end to tie itself to a conference. That would certainly decrease the likelihood of any Big 12 expansion - at least a little.

If they limit the playoffs to four specific conferences that would open them up to massive lawsuits. They should just take the four best teams, regardless of conference. Then in a few years go to 8, then 16. That would be perfect.

[byu71]

From the article:



If they limit the playoffs to four specific conferences that would open them up to massive lawsuits. They should just take the four best teams, regardless of conference. Then in a few years go to 8, then 16. That would be perfect.

I think if they go to the best 4 teams, ND is screwed if they are outside of a conference. They have proven to not be that good and more importantly I think some conferences will freeze them out on scheduling so a 11-1 ND won't look nearly as good as an 11-1 team from a power conference.